Harborough Christmas Lights Switch-On 2019: date, times and what to expect

Late night shopping in Harborough at Christmas time.

Enjoy a glass of fizz and watch the big Christmas lights switch-on at the Santa spectacular on Friday November 22 while hunting that special stocking filler.

Harbs After Hours is set to lure hundreds of early Christmas shoppers into one of the best market town centres anywhere in the country.

The Christmas curtain-raiser is being masterminded by Harborough born-and-bred shop-owner Jarrod Burke, chairman of local retailers’ network Harbs Collective.

“We’ll be running from 5pm-9pm and we’re looking forward to a buzzy feelgood night.

“We’ve already got about 30 businesses sign up,” said Jarrod, who runs Randalls American sweet shop on Church Square.

“We want to make the most of people flooding into the town centre to see the Christmas lights being turned on.

“And it promises to be a super-relaxed night where people can have a glass of bubbly, park for free and bag some brilliant Christmas offers.”

Jarrod, who also has a sweet store in Kettering, said Harbs After Hours is striking a genuine chord with customers and bargain-hunters.

“This will be our fourth one this year and they’re getting bigger and better every time.

“Opening late gives people working or tied up all day the chance to pop along and have a stroll around when we’d usually be shut,” he said.

“It will be especially valuable this time round with Christmas just down the road.”

Jarrod said thriving Harbs Collective was set up about 18 months ago and now boasts about 75 members.

“We are made up of small independent bricks and mortar shops and businesses in Harborough.

“We’re just one big family – and we help each other out all the time.

“We used to get together and have a moan before deciding to get the Collective off the ground and do something more positive,” he said.

“We’re going well on Facebook and Instagram and just want to help people make the most of our fantastic town centre.

“When you look at other towns we’re very lucky to have such a vibrant, diverse retail community here.

“We want shoppers to be able to enjoy the full range of stores and businesses we have right here on their doorsteps in Harborough.”